Jeff Kennett: Awarding Daniel Andrews a Companion of the Order of Australia devalues it beyond recognition
Bestowing the highest civilian award in Australia on Daniel Andrews has devalued it beyond recognition and reeks of political interference. The decision must be overturned.
Opinion
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Victorians, every Australian should be outraged that the individual who has so destroyed the opportunities for generations in this state has been granted the highest civilian award in Australia.
In doing so, the awards under the Order of Australia have been devalued beyond recognition.
In awarding the highest honour to Mr Andrews, the Governor-General, and the Secretariat that manages the awarding of honours, have rewarded gross financial mismanagement of Victoria, the deaths of more than 800 Victorians, and manifest failure of Mr Andrews to discharge his responsibilities under the Westminster system.
Worse the awarding of the AC to Mr Andrews reeks of political interference and direction to the Governor-General and the Secretariat.
Rarely, if ever, does a politician get an award while in office, so you can assume the process for awarding Mr Andrews only started when he resigned on 26th September last year, only eight months ago.
Certainly, individuals get recognised for their positive contribution to Australians and Australian life.
You could say that was certainly the case of the former premier of Western Australia Mark McGowan, who also received an AC.
He resigned on June 8 last year but left his state in a much better condition than when he inherited it.
But Mr Andrews by no definition meets this.
On two measures in the citation that accompanies Mr Andrews’ award — health and infrastructure — he has failed.
Certainly, the third, reform, when he failed to accept responsibility for his actions that so disadvantaged his community.
Australians, and certainly Victorians, who have been adversely affected by these activities should write to the Governor-General, requesting this award be immediately withdrawn.
This award has either been lodged well before the nominee resigned from office or was fast-tracked.
The process behind this nomination needs to be clearly transparently and publicly established.
Normally citizens get recognised for community work they have done over and above their paid employment.
To my knowledge not only has Mr Andrews not done any eminent community service, but he has also abjectly failed any objective test on the matters for which he received the recognition.
Victorian citizens are going to pay heavily, for decades, for the failures of Mr Andrews.
Under no circumstances should he have been recognised for an Order of Australia Award.
He should give it back, or we Victorians should write to the Governor-General asking that he revoke the award.
Write to: His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd), Government House, Dunrossil Drive, Yarralumla, ACT 2600, or email the Governor-General here.
If this award is not rescinded, one would have to ask whether awards under the Order of Australia have any relevance given in Mr Andrews’ case they have been so totally and Actually Corrupted. (AC)
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